'save as', library hell and 'access denied'

I've just fired up a new machine, transitioning from XP to Win7. So far I'm really hating it, particularly the insult of microsoft trying to control where my stuff is with their libraries, and the "access denied" bullshit with all the old folders i used to use. I hope I find a way to get things working a bit better soon because I'm suffering now, relatively speaking.

So please excuse me if this is a really stupid question, but I haven't been able to find a way of saving downloaded things were I need them. All there is, is 'do you want to save this?', and it defaults into the 'downloads' file under the username, which is a pain in the arse to navigate to in 'explorer' or whatever now passes for what i used to understand as showing me the REAL filetree.

In my 'recieved files' folder in XP, i had all the things saved in folders i set up at the time of downloading them, called things like C:\Documents and settings\username\My Documents\Received Files\security\firewall\comodo [something like that]. now, i have no choice of where to save them to, and have to then fetch them out of the annoying 'downloads' folder and transport them to the practically inaccessible altogether 'received files' folders.

So could some merciful person please tell this noob how to "save as"? [i don't find 'save target as'/'save link as' convenient because a lot of download buttons are false alarms leading only to more html pages. What simple option have I failed to spot and check or uncheck?

Also, I'm trying other winexplorer type applications, but so far don't like them, ann in any case they don't solve the problem of the presence of those damned libraries and 'access denied' folders. Can anyone tell me how to get the filetree to display HONESTLY AND CONFIGURABLY/MODDABLY?

First read about the Libraries and about the Junction Points (the folders with the what appear to be shortcut arrows). These are not folders. You must have enabled View Protected system folders. These are points of contact for old apps that are unfamiliar with the new file structure and are not user accesible.

Libraries do not hold the data folder, they are areas to hold pointers to the data folders. For example, lets say you have 10 projects that have similar data to each other, but each have 5 different types of data. You could create a Library for each project for example and place a pointer in that library to all the different areas where this data is located, even if it's in different partitions. This is my simplistic explanation of my understanding of the way the libraries work. Many people simply ignore the libraries all together and that's fine. You do not have to use the library feature if you do not wish to.

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1. Try a different browser like Firefox or Chrome. I know Firefox has the option to prompt you for the location to save a downloaded file.

2. Libraries are just symbolic links to existing folders. You don't have to use them if you don't want to. A symbolic link is just a pointer to an existing file or folder. They are important in the Unix world.

3. I use two programs for file management: Power Desk Pro from Avanquest (paid) and Free Commander which is free. Both are MUCH better than Windows Explorer. There are others available as well.

I've just fired up a new machine, transitioning from XP to Win7. So far I'm really hating it, particularly the insult of microsoft trying to control where my stuff is with their libraries, and the "access denied" bullshit with all the old folders i used to use. I hope I find a way to get things working a bit better soon because I'm suffering now, relatively speaking.

So please excuse me if this is a really stupid question, but I haven't been able to find a way of saving downloaded things were I need them. All there is, is 'do you want to save this?', and it defaults into the 'downloads' file under the username, which is a pain in the arse to navigate to in 'explorer' or whatever now passes for what i used to understand as showing me the REAL filetree.

In my 'recieved files' folder in XP, i had all the things saved in folders i set up at the time of downloading them, called things like C:\Documents and settings\username\My Documents\Received Files\security\firewall\comodo [something like that]. now, i have no choice of where to save them to, and have to then fetch them out of the annoying 'downloads' folder and transport them to the practically inaccessible altogether 'received files' folders.

So could some merciful person please tell this noob how to "save as"? [i don't find 'save target as'/'save link as' convenient because a lot of download buttons are false alarms leading only to more html pages. What simple option have I failed to spot and check or uncheck?

Two things. One - you can set the default download location by keying CTRL+J to view downloads in IE. Then click on the Options link at the bottom left. Set the default download location. Two - When you see the Open, Save, Cancel dialog click on the drop down arrow next to "Save". Select "Save As".

I've just fired up a new machine, transitioning from XP to Win7. So far I'm really hating it, particularly the insult of microsoft trying to control where my stuff is with their libraries, and the "access denied" bullshit with all the old folders i used to use. I hope I find a way to get things working a bit better soon because I'm suffering now, relatively speaking.

Quite the contrary with Libraries. Libraries are an attempt to let you decide where to store files but still provide a convenient collection point to be able to locate similar files. You can add or remove folders from a Library. That does NOT affect the folder itself or the content. Libraries are just an organizational method. You can add Libraries to represent any type of organization that makes sense to you and still have the actual folders and content reside where you choose to store them. Folders can participate in more than one Library.

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Hello and thankyou very much for all your responses. I've found it hard to tell what's a 'folder' and what's 'symbolic' with the explorer. Little arrow? I'll keep an eye out, while wishing to have it straighforward and to do away with all 'folder' links in explorer or equivalent that do not show ACTUAL folders and what's REALLY in them. I am happy to organise my own stuff. This is the same problem I have had with itunes. It seems to me a way to get a whole lot of control between people and their actual files. I wish the libraries were in a separate application and that the filetree was unadulterated.

Many thanks for the recommendations for file management applications. I'll try Free Commander.

As to the "save as", I don't use IE, but rather Firefox. It's in FF that the 'save as' option isn't there. I even looked for an addon for that, which makes me feel a bit idiotic; this problem would seem be an OS problem. Or not? I stand ready to be informed. Do others have 'save as' in FF?

As to the "save as", I don't use IE, but rather Firefox. It's in FF that the 'save as' option isn't there. I even looked for an addon for that, which makes me feel a bit idiotic; this problem would seem be an OS problem. Or not? I stand ready to be informed. Do others have 'save as' in FF?

The "access denied" messages is something that can be really annoying for someone who comes from XP, but for many users, that freedom with XP was also a security problem. Microsoft tried to change that, while making it annoying to the "power users". I don't think you should try to solve the access denied thing for every folder where you have the issue, as that may bring other problems. There is a tool that can be used to ease up the problem, Take Ownership, but be aware that you should use it with real care. Do not use them on system folders (under Windows) or evern Program Files. When in doubt, post here.

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You should consider changing your view options to NOT display protected system files. That would get rid of the symbolic links (and other files) in Windows Explorer. For day-to-day use there is little reason to display those types of files. On the occasions where it is necessary it is easy to change the view setting, do what you need, and then change it back. I've found that over time I have fewer and fewer reasons to see those files other than habit.

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I believe when I download a file with IE9 a download bar pops up at the bottom of the screen. Instead of clicking on save, click the arrow next to 'Save' and select 'Save As' and a folder tree pops up.

I believe when I download a file with IE9 a download bar pops up at the bottom of the screen. Instead of clicking on save, click the arrow next to 'Save' and select 'Save As' and a folder tree pops up.